Teaching the Mariachi Harp

by Sergio “Checo” Alonso
MENC National Mariachi Advisory Committee Representative, 2006-2008

Checo teaches at San Fernando High School and for the Mariachi Master Apprentice Program in San Fernando, California.

* Parts of this article are based on information available online at www.mariachieducationresources.com. Used with permission.

Throughout the 20th century, mariachi experienced a transformation at the expense of what was arguably the tradition’s most important instrument: el arpa jalisciense. During the mariachi’s process of urbanization, popularization, and commercialization, the arpa jalisciense or arpa de mariachi (mariachi harp) greatly diminished in importance within the ensemble, to the point where it disappeared almost entirely among the popular urban groups that emerged.

Today, the harp appears to be making a comeback among Mexican and Mexican-American mariachi musicians throughout the southwestern United States. Finding inspiration in the mariachi traditions of the past, young musicians are now attempting to integrate the harp into their ensembles. Though this endeavor often proves difficult due to limited availability of harp instruction, it is well worth the effort: the harp is a versatile, colorful instrument with a longstanding tradition in Mexico and mariachi.

Harp Study in Mariachi Music Programs

High-quality harp study in school mariachi programs is central to the instrument’s survival. Unlike other mariachi instruments, very few instructional resources are available for harp. Lack of teachers, method books, sheet music, and a well-established, definitive mode of performance are the greatest challenges facing potential harp students. Music teachers can address these needs and aid in the instrument’s dissemination by acquiring basic knowledge of the harp, developing pedagogy for its instruction, and then nurturing their students’ interest. Institutionalized and codified harp study, then, is critical to the revitalization, reinvention, and reaffirmation of its place in the mariachi.

Redefining the harp’s role must also be a task for the entire mariachi community; harpists must develop the necessary skills for its successful performance, while composers, arrangers, and directors must integrate the harp in new and exciting ways into musical arrangements. Most important, the mariachi culture itself must place greater demands on the instrument and have higher expectations of its practitioners.

An Approach to Harp Study

The mariachi’s most versatile instrument is currently played with the least versatility. Often playing “second fiddle” to the rest of the ensemble, the harp has not enjoyed the level of technical development of the other mariachi instruments, or that of other Latin American harp traditions. So much has it dwindled in importance within the genre that it has come to be regarded as an unnecessary component to the standard ensemble, too often integrated for the sake of visual aesthetic and serving as an “ornament” for groups wanting to emulate the traditional look of the rural mariachi.

A sound approach to the study of mariachi harp must begin with the focus, discipline, perseverance, care, and passion it demands, as with all mariachi instruments. Lack of information about the harp has hindered its role within the contemporary mariachi tradition: novice harpists do not have the appropriate guidance and/or resources and have fallen short in their attempts to understand its many complexities. No other instrument in the ensemble offers such a variety of techniques and performance effects as well as wealth of musical color. Therefore, it is the responsibility of harp students to make honest efforts to study, develop, and apply the many facets of harp performance.

As a teacher you have an important role to play. Emphasize dedication and commitment to the fundamentals of precise playing technique. First and foremost, concentrate on studying the most common techniques and genres of the traditional mariachi, particularly the son (pronounced “sohn”) and the ranchera. Then, encourage students to explore the many possibilities when playing other genres. Because today’s mariachi plays such a wide variety of music, it is important that students acquire and execute techniques that are common to other Mexican and Latin American harp traditions. There are countless ways to integrate new technical devices into mariachi without sacrificing the integrity of the music.

Here you will find exercises, illustrations, and suggestions that will help you get your students on the right harp-playing path. First, a few things to consider:

1. Individual study. Assuming that you will not have a classroom full of harpists, this material is geared towards a small group or individual study. I invite you to use pedagogy that you are most comfortable with to introduce these concepts to your harp student(s).

2. Right hand, left hand, both hands! While harp performance typically reserves specific techniques for each hand, here we develop both hands with the same degree of efficiency. As a given, practice one hand first, then the other, and finally both hands together.

3. Music theory. Complement harp study with music theory. It is essential that your students have a firm understanding of major and minor scales as well as basic harmony.

4. The key of C major. Tune your instrument to C major, as all exercises will be in this key. Your students may later apply these concepts to any key as they become more proficient in basic musicianship and harp technique.

Educational Resources

• www.jaliscoharp.com: William Faulkner’s Web page, featuring harp photographs, biographies, recordings, and lessons.

• Mariachi Mastery—Harp: published by Kjos Music Company, and written by Jeff Nevin, this book is part of an entire classroom set for mariachi ensemble.

Harp Teachers

Mariachi harpists in the U.S. (as of 2007) include:

• Art Gerst: Carson, CA
• William Faulkner: Carmel, CA
• Santiago Maldonado: Fontana, CA
• Juan Morales: Wasco, CA
• Guillermo Acuña: Van Nuys, CA
• Omar López: El Paso, TX
• Alfonso García: San Fernando, CA
• Adrián Pérez: El Paso, TX
• Nicolás Alanís: McAllen, TX
• Juan Cabrera: San Antonio, TX
• Adam Romo: Las Vegas, NV
• Jesús Galicia: Fresno, CA
• Javier Rodríguez: Dallas, TX
• Ernie Ferra, Phoenix, AZ
• Sergio Alonso: Sylmar, CA

Structural Characteristics

There is no absolute standard in the construction of folk harps of western Mexico. Regional, local, and even individual preferences among harp makers allow for slight variations in size, shape, and materials. Nonetheless, there are several features that distinguish mariachi harps from other types of Latin American folk harps, the two most important being that they are centrally located in the state of Jalisco, and that they were integral components of the mariachi ensembles. It is because of these commonalties that they are collectively known as Jalisco or mariachi harps.

The mariachi harp is a 36-string diatonic instrument, constructed primarily of cedar, ash, mahogany, and tacote (a balsa-like wood native to western Mexico used in constructing the sound board only). The sound box consists of seven completely closed panels, five of which are joined to make up the very large “belly,” and two are fused to make the “barn door” base and legs (Fig. 1).

The tacote sound board typically exhibits a lengthwise grain with four sound holes of decreasing diameter running up the length of the harp, two on each side of the string plane. The general shape of the sound box is deep and wide at the base and narrower toward the top.

The neck of the mariachi harp has a very unpronounced curvature, almost appearing to be a straight bar, and is sometimes decorated with a cockscomb on the top side (Fig. 2). While the tuning pegs were once primarily made of wood, it is common today to find aluminum or steel pegs. One of the more interesting details of the mariachi harp is that it has no bridge pins; the knotted strings run directly from the soundboard up the left side of the neck and into the tuning pegs. The knots hold the strings in place in the sound board. Although gut strings were formerly used, nylon strings are more common today.

A recent adaptation to the harp is retractable feet, which makes the harp easier to transport (Fig. 3).

Another recent adaptation is the use of tuning levers. While levers are not traditional on a Jalisco harp, they allow the modern mariachi harpist to modulate and perform chromatic harmonies quickly and easily. Levers may be integrated on all of the strings (Fig. 4) or only some of the strings (Fig. 5).

Caring for Your Harp

DO:

• DO store your harp at room temperature. During gigs, try to keep it away from direct sunlight—like any wooden musical instrument, the harp’s worst enemies are heat and low humidity.
   
• DO keep your harp in a safe location where human traffic is minimal.
   
• DO store it in a soft case to protect it from bruises and dust.
   
• DO remove dust from your harp daily.
   
• DO use wood polish for musical instruments to wipe the harp of hand oils if needed. Make sure students keep their hands clean.
   
• DO loosen the strings slightly when transporting the harp long distances, especially on a plane.

DON’T:

• DON’T leave your harp in an automobile for an extended period of time, especially during extreme temperatures, as heat will crack the wood and soften the glue.
   
• DON’T leave your harp leaning against a wall, lying on the ground, or in a position where something could fall on it.
   
• DON’T use a wet cloth to remove dust. Instead, use a dry or slightly damp cloth.
   
• DON’T lay the harp on dirty, wet, or rough areas while playing a gig.

Purchasing Harps

• Roberto Morales is the most renowned mariachi harp luthier in Mexico. Based in Guadalajara, Mexico, Morales, his son Rubén, and his grandson Rubén Jr. construct harps of three different sizes and are now integrating removable legs and Salvi sharping levers.
   
• Brian Steeger of San Juan Bautista, California, builds various styles of Mexican harps.
   
• John Westling of Sandpiper Instruments in Coquille, Oregon, manufactures the “Jalisco,” a 38-string harp designed by Sergio Alonso that has an integrated preamp and Loveland sharping levers.

Changing Strings

Changing strings can be difficult, but with practice and experience, it becomes much easier. As you begin, remember that strings are specifically designed for each harp. Features such as material, length, and diameter are critical in establishing the correct tension of each string. To prevent damage, make sure that the particular strings you use are the correct ones for your instrument. In general, the treble and mid-range strings will range from about .025 to .055 gauge, and the bass strings will be wrapped in nylon with either a nylon or fiber core.

At the Soundboard

• Bass Strings: Reach inside the harp through the largest sound hole and insert the string through the appropriate string hole from the inside out. Pull up on the string until the pad touches the inside of the soundboard.
   
• Midrange Strings: Insert the string down through the string hole and continue pushing until you can reach that end from the largest sound hole. Make a bundle of about three knots at the bottom end, clip off excess string, and then pull up on the string until the knots touch the inside of the soundboard.
   
• Treble Strings: There are various ways to change treble-range strings. Click here for a step-by-step instructions and diagrams of my preferred method.

Purchasing Strings

• Guadalupe Custom Strings in Los Angeles, California, specializes in Mexican harp strings.
   
• Markwood Heavenly Strings in Phoenix, Oregon, and Robinson’s Harp Shop in Mount Laguna, California, are two other well known folk harp string manufacturers.

Tuning

The harp is traditionally tuned diatonically in the key of G or C, where the lowest string is G1 (an 18th below middle C) and the highest is G6 (a 19th above middle C). However, due to the complexities of contemporary arrangements, harpists today tune in a variety of different keys. Whatever the key, the strings are always tuned to the same pitch name and simply sharpened or flattened as needed.

For lever harps, I recommend tuning in B♭, as it will allow you quick and easy access to the most common keys that mariachi music is played today: B♭, F, C, G, D, A, E, and their relative minors. When performing songs in minor keys, it is best to tune in either natural minor or harmonic minor (to allow for the dominant 7th chord).

An electronic chromatic tuner is a great investment for any harpist. Boss TU Series Chromatic Tuners seem to be the devices of choice for many harpists, as they have a wide tuning range suitable for the harp.

Playing Position

No two students are built the same. Therefore, you will always find slight variations in harp placement and body positioning. Nevertheless, there are numerous things to consider when developing your students’ playing position that take into account their well-being. A correct playing position is one that always minimizes the potential for injury and promotes good health.

Legs, Torso, and Neck

A good posture begins at the foundation. Feet should be placed shoulder-width apart with legs slightly bent at the knees. While I tend to stand with my left leg a bit forward, many harpists position their feet side by side. Either way, your students must stand tall, balanced, and completely relaxed. Have them avoid leaning on either leg or locking at the knees. The torso must also remain straight with the neck and head directly in balance, making sure they do not slouch or tilt their head either way. Maintaining a comfortable and relaxed standing position will relieve stress in the lower back and neck and minimize the risk of strain and injury (Fig. 6).

The harp should stand directly in front of the body and lean back so that the top comes to rest on the right shoulder. In the case where the harp is too short (or your students are too tall) and it does not reach the shoulder, it should be placed on the right side of the chest. Never place it under the right arm, as this will hinder blood circulation and limit mobility.

Arms, Elbows, and Shoulders

Correct arm position depends on the proper placement and movement of the elbows and shoulders. Shoulders should always remain down and relaxed; elbows must face down with forearms parallel to the floor while leading arm movement. The arms themselves should be nearly symmetric, with the right forearm remaining horizontal and the left slightly slanted upwards. With respect to proper shifting, we aim to achieve “efficiency of motion” by eliminating all unnecessary and energy-consuming movements; elbows and shoulders must freely and naturally glide the arms back and forth with the least amount of force and tension.

Wrists, Hands, and Fingers

Proper positioning of the wrists, hands, and fingers is perhaps the most critical because of the tiny muscles, tendons, and ligaments that are constantly subject to strain. Incorrect form and use frequently causes injuries such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The right wrist must be positioned perpendicular to the center of the strings. Because the left arm angles down toward the strings, the left wrist is slightly angled upward. Pay special attention that the hands lie naturally straight without bending up or down at the wrist and that the wrists themselves do not brace on the edge of the soundboard—this will cause increased tension and strain on the tendons and ligaments. While the right palm generally faces the string plane, the left palm sometimes faces down among some harpists (e.g. jarocho harpists) or when executing certain passages.

The hands and fingers are placed almost level at the middle or upper part of the strings. The index, middle, and ring fingers must remain naturally curved at both joints and should be placed consistently “in line” with the thumb, where the thumb sits highest. The thumb must be kept bent backwards, practically vertical. The strings must be placed at the tips of the fingers, on the outer edge of the thumb (Fig. 7). Nails are generally left long, and are filed rounded. When pulling strings, both the fingertips and the nails make contact with the strings.

During finger movement, the hands should be allowed to close naturally into a relaxed fist, where the thumb folds down on top of the other fingers. It is critical that students do not pull in a “clawlike” manner, as an open hand will create residual tension after exerting force. With respect to the thumb, the action is controlled by the lower joint, so it should always simulate a “hitchhiker’s” thumb and never bend at the knuckle. Also, the pinky, which is generally not used, must be allowed to mirror the ring finger during movement. Allowing it to fold down or stick up while playing will create an unnatural tension between it and the ring finger (Fig. 8). Above all else, make sure to find a balance between relaxation and tension, as too much of either would be detrimental.

While there is no standardized method of harp notation in the mariachi world, we may adopt many of the symbols used in the classical harp tradition developed by legendary harpist, Carlos Salzedo.

1. The Grand Staff: Notes in the treble staff are typically played with the right hand while notes in the bass staff are played with the left.

2. The Numbers: Indicate the fingers that are used to play the particular note. #1 (thumb), #2 (index), #3 (middle), and #4 (ring).

3. The Bracket: Indicates that all fingers under the bracket are placed simultaneously. We generally want to place the fingers in the melodic direction we are going.

4. The Chord and Rolled Chord: A chord must be played flat or “unbroken.” When indicated, it should be played arpeggiated from bottom to top.

Because the harp most often plays the role of bass and harmonic accompaniment, it is adequate to combine standard guitarrón and armonía notation with traditional harp notation. Click here for an explanation.

Listening to the Harp

One way to become familiar with the mariachi harp sound is by listening to some of the tradition’s most recognized harpists. While many mariachi recordings do not include the harp, there are still plenty of recordings to select from:

• Andrés Huesca is Mexico’s most renowned harpist and was the first to popularize the Mexican harp, especially in the jarocho and ranchera styles. He is showcased on various tribute albums, Homenaje a Andrés Huesca, and Recordando a Andrés Huesca, and appears on numerous films, including the classics Allá en el Rancho Grande, Los Tres Huastecos, and Historia de Un Gran Amor.
   
• Benito Martínez is perhaps the most recognized mariachi harpist, having great success as a studio musician. He appears on recordings accompanying numerous artists, including Javier Solís, Antono Aguilar, Los Dos Oros, and Dueto América.
   
• Arturo Mendoza, legendary harpist of the world renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, worked on countless recordings throughout his fifty-year career, accompanying artists such as David Zaízar and Cuco Sánchez.
   
• Antonio Maciel is credited with being the first to integrate regional Mexican folk music into mariachi. You may hear his mariachi renditions of Veracruz harp music with Mariachi México de Pepe Villa on various LPs.

In recent years, some of the world’s most renowned ensembles have included harp in their studio recordings. Look for CDs of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán, Mariachi América de Jesús Rodríguez de Híjar, and Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández.

Forms

A solid foundation for playing the harp begins with the study of chord forms. Some approaches begin instruction melodically by using one or two fingers, adding the third and fourth as the student becomes more proficient. I prefer to have students begin harmonically with all four fingers placed simultaneously. While I am now experimenting with the pinky finger, it is generally not used. Training students early on to view their fingers as a unit and not just as individual digits is beneficial for several reasons:

1. Harpists rely on securing positions instead of playing “one finger at a time.” Unlike other string instruments that have keys or fret boards, the harp has no physical frame of reference when vibrating the strings. As a result, harpists must learn to be “in tune” with the shapes of their hands in space as their fingers are positioned in specific ways. Having your students “plan before they play” by placing fingers in the most logical preparatory positions will establish the appropriate technique for creating the best sounds. This is analogous to the classical guitarist who plants his right hand fingers in preparation of chord arpeggiation.

2. It nurtures student musicianship skills. Students are forced to identify the chords that they are playing instead of simply executing random collections of unassociated pitches. By learning about and applying harmony as well as melody, students gain an overall understanding of music principles.

3. Students “learn to listen.” Much of what harpists play is harmonic accompaniment in various keys, so students learn the appropriate pitches to play within chords as well as which pitches to avoid when playing in different keys. They condition their ears to discern how individual pitches within each chord sound with respect to each other as well as how each chord sounds relative to the tonic. This, again, is analogous to guitar playing.

Therefore, like the guitarist that trains his/her hand to grasp barred forms that may be used to execute a variety of different chords throughout the fret board, we commence with eight basic shapes.

Techniques and Exercises

Click here for an explanation of the eight basic forms, as well as exercises that will help your students

• develop proper form
• build chords and scales
• navigate the harp, and
• master harp techniques and special effects.

Playing Chromatic Harmonies and in Different Keys

The technical and stylistic development of the mariachi harp has been in direct response to the musical demands of the contemporary mariachi repertoire. Essentially, harpists have developed techniques in order to cope with the drawbacks of performing polytonal music. While today the lever harp is providing a fast and efficient solution to many of the hardships caused by complex chromatic harmonies and playing in various keys, it is still a good idea to invest some time in developing compensatory techniques. When playing notes outside of the harp’s diatonic tuning, you generally have three options:

1. Retune Your Harp: The most obvious solution is retuning either the entire harp or segments of the harp to the desired key. Unless there is a specific solo or important melodic passage, this may not be practical during a performance as it is very time consuming.

2. Avoid the Note: Playing around specific notes is often an option. This method is most appropriate when performing harmonic accompaniment, as there will frequently be other voices to select from.

3. Raise the Note: Using special techniques to raise a pitch by a semitone is sometimes required, especially when performing specific bass patterns and melodic lines. There are several common “sharping” techniques.

When playing bass: Use the right thumb to press down on a bass string just under the tuning peg, producing the sharpened semitone when pulling that string with the left hand (Fig. 9). Typically, you sharpen the lowest octave and omit playing the upper.

When playing melody and harmony: Use the left thumb to press down on a treble string just under the tuning peg while plucking the string with the right hand (Fig. 10). Because of the absence of bridge pins, this technique only works with mariachi harps. When playing on a different style harp, use the nail of the left index finger to press up against the string at the soundboard while plucking with the right hand (Fig. 11). You can sharpen two strings simultaneously by also using the middle finger.

Conclusion

In the process of modernization, the mariachi culture has generally excluded the harp. Despite its current marginalized role, the mariachi harp has the potential and versatility to hold a central and indispensable place in the mariachi ensemble. Reintroducing the harp traditions of the past and developing new performance techniques can give the harp a new voice in mariachi. A foundation for achieving this has been introduced in this article. These guidelines, of course, are only the first step in mastering an instrument that has an abundance of complexities that can take years of dedication, hard work, and perseverance to acquire. With the increased interest, energy, and commitment of students, the harp can reach the type of acceptance and prosperity it once enjoyed and still so deeply deserves.